Together
by CheshireNeko122
Summary: Alice and her cat live in a small shack, but are suddenly brought to the Dark Order! The Exorcists suspect that Alice's cat is really a living Innocence fragment, with Alice being the Accommodator!
1. Chapter 1: Introduction

**I don't own -Man, or Pandora Hearts. I'm not profiting from this, although it brings joy to my heart. As I have mentioned in my previous Pandora -Man story, this one also features Cheshire and Alice. It has no relation to Forever (other story) at all. It is not a sequel, prequel, none of those. Please enjoy~!**

~Together~

The moon was high in the sky, bathing the world in a silver light. Shadows reached from the houses, whispering to each other through the night. A low wind swept over the valley, rustling the grass and rattling the windows. Each house was separated by a shabby fence, every one worn down and decrepit. The wind threatened to topple every one, but they held strong. Atop one particularly shabby fence sat a small cat, as black as the night surrounding it. He curiously looked off to the distance, beyond the mountains. He knew something was strange in the air. He just couldn't imagine what.

As he bounded off of the fence, the bell around his neck jingled lightly, piercing the night air with its soft, delicate sound. Giving a last peek over his shoulder, he climbed through the window of the small house that lay before him. Nimbly landing on the creaky, wooden board floor inside, he took joy in the sound of his master's breathing. Jumping up on her bed, he snuggled into her neck, sleepily rubbing his forehead against her skin.

He loved his master dearly, for she had taken care of him since he was but a kitten. He had been discarded to the streets, unwanted by his previous owner. He had seen her walking along the sidewalk, and had mysteriously been called to her. He had felt such a strong feeling that she would be his new master, he immediately stuck by her side. He hadn't left it since. She must have only been 6 years old then, and what 6 year old wouldn't resist a poor, neglected cat? Of course, Alice had begged her mother continuously until he was allowed to stay.

Although they weren't living the lavish life, all a cat really needed was a loving master and he would be set. He could have always left, to find a cozier place to call home; but he stayed with Alice through everything. They were always together.

Broken away from his flashback, the cat was disturbed by his master shifting groggily in bed. She opened her eyes, and smiled when she saw him cuddled into her neck, although she was shivering.

"Cheshire, you're freezing…" she whined, pulling the cat into her arms. "Let's warm you up." He gratefully relaxed in her grip, sinking into her bed sheets as the night whisked them both away to a faraway place.

O 3O O 3O O 3O OE O OE O OE O

"It's warmer today than yesterday." Alice mused, walking along the sidewalk. Cheshire followed her obediently, dodging the patches of ice. Alice was on her way to school, as she was almost every day. Cheshire would always follow her to the doors and wait nearby for her to come home. Sometimes he didn't like the idea of school, because it kept Alice from him.

"See you this afternoon!" she called as she was swept into the hallways of the small school house. Giving a small mew, Cheshire retreated to the small bushes nearby, where all the mice hid for warmth. Crawling under the shrub, he began flicking the rocks around until a nice spot was made. Curling up into a ball, he lay in the spot where he would wait for Alice. Sometimes, he didn't feel like a cat. He always understood what Alice had said to him, and he was sure she always understood him. They would have conversations at night, about the dreams they had, or the luxuries of high class living. He felt like another human, just smaller.

As the day went on, and the mice flooded in, Cheshire crawled out of the bush, the thistles catching in his black fur. Alice left the school last, and started walking over to the bushes. She always knew where Cheshire hid during the day, and had always found him there. Picking him up, she giggled at the twigs sticking to his side.

"Cheshire, you're all dirty!" she giggled, picking the leaves off of him. "Where you rolling around in something?"

_No, I was just making myself a nice spot. There were lots of mice today, too._ Of course, cats can't speak, so all he said was a short string of meows. Alice always u8nderstod what he said to the fullest, as if he were speaking plain English.

"You'd think those mice would stay away, with all the time you spend under there. Come on, let's go home." She said, patting his head. He nimbly climbed up to her head and sat on her shoulder, one of his favorite perches. He always sat on her shoulder when they walked together, and not once, had he fallen off. It was as if he were glued to her.

Opening the noisy door to Alice's small shack, she walked into the kitchen, where her mother was slicing a loaf of bread. Alice and her mother never really got along. There was barely any food on the table as it was, let alone another mouth to feed. They both basically ignored each other, Alice ding her thing, and her mother doing hers. Sometimes Alice was sad because she felt she didn't have a mom anymore, but Cheshire did his best to comfort her.

Although one day, everything seemed to change. Alice and Cheshire were going to school, as usual, when they were stopped by a man in a black and gold coat. He seemed quite intimidating, for his hair was as scarlet as blood, and a white cloth with a cross on it covered one of his eyes. A cigarette poking out of his mouth, he looked down at Alice and Cheshire curiously.

"Ah…so this is the innocence I've been sent to collect." He had said menacingly. Alice protectively held Cheshire in her arms, although Cheshire wasn't afraid of the man. He almost felt there was something in common between the two.

"E-Excuse me?" Alice squeaked, quite frightened by the stranger. "What do you mean by 'innocence'?" The man seemed confused for a moment, before recollecting himself.

"So you don't know?" he asked. He chuckled rather mockingly, before plucking Cheshire out of Alice's arms, holding him by the scruff of the neck. Cheshire wriggled and hissed, his bell chirping against his neck, but the man wouldn't let him go.

"Let my friend go!" Alice shouted, reaching for the cat. Laughing, the man held Cheshire higher and higher until the Alice couldn't reach.

"Hehehe…you see, I've been sent her to collect this here 'cat'." He said, examining Cheshire like a demented doctor. "He's very important to my career."

"No! Don't you dare! Give me back Cheshire!" Alice screamed, drawing attention nearby. Tears dotted her eyes as the man just laughed.

"Why, is he your friend?" he asked, none too kindly. "Sorry, but little kitty needs to come with me." Alice ran up to the man, pounding her fists against his chest.

"You can't do that! He's my cat! Let him go!" she screeched, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He's my only friend! You can't take him away!"

"Hmm…well, you might actually be an accommodator. This innocence here seems to be connected to you somehow, so that might be it. My, I've never seen a living anti-Akuma weapon before." He mumbled, giving the hissing cat back to Alice. "You better come with me."

"What? But…" she whispered, wiping her cheeks as Cheshire continued hissing, his ears drawn back. "Where?"

"To the Dark Order, girly. Now come on, there's no time to waste." He said, dragging her kicking and shouting down the street, cat in hand.

=^._.^= =^._.^= =^._.^=

Alice was exhausted by the time they reached the elevator of the Dark Order. Cheshire on the other hand, had locked himself to the man's hand, sinking his sharp teeth into his skin. He had hung there for quite some time, reattaching himself every time he had been brushed off. By now, the red haired man's hand was torn and bloodied, although he made no motion to do anything about it.

As the elevator doors closed, the man dropped Alice, leaving her sitting against the elevator walls.

"Mister…what is this place?" she asked weakly, grabbing Cheshire into her arms once again.

"It's the Dark Order, where the Exorcists stay." He answered.

"…..what's an Exorcist?" she asked, her eye lids drooping.

"Exorcists are put on this Earth to fight Akuma, mechanical weapons created by a man called the Millennium Earl. Exorcists are each equipped with an anti-Akuma weapon, which is made of Innocence. Innocence is in the form of fragments that are scattered all over the world, in which Exorcists are sent to collect. The Millennium Earl's wish is to create a world full of Akuma, where there's no Innocence. I've brought you here because you may be an Exorcist, girly, so get used to it. Believe it or not, but that cat right there might even be your weapon." He explained, not looking at her.

"What? But…Cheshire doesn't kill Akuma…I've never even seen one…" she whispered, Cheshire snuggling into her jacket for warmth.

"That's because your Innocence is in a dormant state. It's still Innocence, but it's not in the right mode for killing Akuma. Komui will take care of that." He said. Before she could ask who Komui was, the elevator doors opened, and Alice was being dragged once again through the doors.

Now, she was being taken through a hallway of pillars, each wound around the cylindrical frame of the giant building. She heard hushed whispers as they saw her, and a shrill voice pierced her ears.

"General Cross? Why are you dragging that girl?" a woman shouted, although Alice couldn't see who it was.

"She's an accommodator. I'm bringing her to the Dark Order, just as I'm supposed to." He commented snidely.

"Yeah, but you don't have to drag her!" the voice yelled again, as hands lifted her from the ground. "I'm sorry about him. He can be an ass sometimes." A teenage girl stood in front of her, her greenish hair done up in twin pony tales. She was wearing a uniform much like that of the Cross guy, but it was silver instead of gold.

"Who are you?" Alice asked, sleepily.

"Oh, where are my manners! My name is Lenalee Lee. I'm an Exorcist here at the Dark Order. What's your name?" she asked, sweetly.

"Alice…" Alice mumbled, holding Cheshire tighter.

"That's a nice name. Oh, what a cute kitty!" she said, scratching Cheshire on the head with a finger. Cheshire mewed contentedly, his ears flicking back and forth.

"The cat's the innocence." Cross commented rudely. "Take it to Komui."

"What? But that's impossible…you can't have living Anti-Akuma weapons…" Lenalee wondered. "May I see him?"

Alice quickly turned away, determined to protect the small cat from further contact. She was already sick of other people touching her cat. After Lenalee conversed with Cross, Alice was being led down a hallway to a laboratory-like room.

After some waiting, a man with a tray of cups and fruit walked into the room, a beret perched upon his head.

"Ah! So this is the young accommodator!" he said warmly, setting the tray down. "The one with the living Innocence!"

"Yes, Nee-San. Be careful, though, Cross did a good job of scaring the life out of her." She said, picking up a mug from the tray.

"Ah, yes. Now, may I see the Innocence?" Komui asked, kneeling in front of Alice. She turned away, clutching the cat even tighter. "It'll be okay; I just want to see him for a second." After much persuasion, Alice finally handed over her pet to Komui, who proceeded to place him on a testing table. He left for a moment to get a bulky looking machine, and returned with it in hand.

He hooked it to the table, and upon flicking a switch, a beam of light landed on Cheshire. Alice looked startled for a moment, but seemed to calm down after seeing it was only light. She became even more startled when she saw her cat was transparent, so much so you could see right through him.

"Wonderful! It is indeed true; your friend is an Anti-Akuma weapon!" Komui yelled loudly. Everyone in the room looked aghast, especially Alice. Taking a closer look at the trembling cat, Alice could see a tiny, glowing box inside him.

"Is that…the Innocence?" Alice asked, pointing at the box.

"Indeed it is!" Komui celebrated, and then took out a large, heavy-looking drill. "Now to turn him into a weapon!" His eyes sparkled darkly.

Quickly snatching Cheshire from the table, Alice coiled her arms around him as Komui set down the drill. "No, no drills! Don't you dare hurt my kitty!" she yelled, backing away from the table.

"Alice, don't you want him to be in his true form?" Lenalee asked, kneeling on the ground. "I bet it might be painful to be squished into such a tiny body. He'll feel much better when he's in his right body."

Alice still seemed reluctant to do it, but she gave up her cat to strangers once more. Being directed to a row of chairs at the back of the room, she helplessly watched as they strapped her cat down to the table, Komui powering up his drill.

As Komui lowered his welding mask, an enormous beam of light erupted from the table, as Alice heard Cheshire crying out in pain. She made a move to get up, and run to her friend, but a hand stopped her. Lenalee was holding her back, trying to tell her that it was normal, but it was no use. Alice gazed at the horrifying scene, unable to do anything. As she listened to her cat's cries, they started to become more human, as if there was a human being tortured on the table.

When it was done, several groups of scientists had flooded in to see the spectacle, the one living Innocence. Alice hustled through the crowd, screaming orders that it was her friend and she needed to see him. Stopping at the side of the table, she felt a wave of confusion swathe over her. Her cat was gone, replaced by a cat-like boy lying huffing and weakened on the table. A pair of fuzzy ears sat atop his head, his hands the size of tennis rackets. Claws dotted each of his pointed, black fingers as a long tail sprouted from underneath him.

"But…that's not my Cheshire…" Alice whispered, her breath caught in her throat. The scientists began squabbling over whose hypothesis was right, and how this could have happened. As they were arguing, the boy on the table slowly opened his eyes.

They were red, piercing eyes, but Alice knew they were the same as her cats. His eyes locked with hers, and he began to smile. He reached up one of his enormous paws to most likely bat at her face, but he recoiled when he saw his own hand. Skittering off of the table, he slammed into wall at the back of the room.

Breathing heavily, he stared, shocked and exasperated at his new hands. He seemed even more confused than she had been. He whimpered slightly as he reached up and felt his face, accidentally making a long scratch mark down his cheek. Even though he had previously been a cat, he seemed to know how to speak English and everything.

"Alice…what…what's happening to me…?" he called out helplessly, trying to lift himself off of the floor using the wall. Standing in an upright position, he tried to walk towards her, but tripped on his own feet and fell on the floor. Feeling that he was still her Cheshire, she ran to his side, helping him into a sitting position.

"Cheshire…this is apparently your true form…" Alice whispered, holding one of his paws. "It'll be okay."

Although he had been over 30 years old in cat years, the boy that sat before Alice looked to be her own age. He looked so helpless as he held up his hands, each one shaking uncontrollably. He suddenly crawled into Alice's lap, awkwardly pressing his face against her neck, shivering as if he were feverish. She held him in her arms as scientists brought in testing trays and food for the new Anti-Akuma weapon.


	2. Chapter 2: First Day

After they had done a mountain of testing on the poor cat, Alice and her innocence were brought to the room they would be staying in. Cheshire seemed somber to be in his new form, but Alice was secretly ecstatic. Not only had she always wanted a brother, but Cheshire knew everything about her already. She was glad she had a friend in such a strange place. Still upset, Cheshire slumped down on the side of the bed placed in the room, looking longingly at his new hands. Feeling sad for her friend, Alice sat beside him, grabbing one of his long, black fingers.

"It's not all bad." She said, smiling at him. "Now you can actually talk to me." He still looked melancholy, but if anything, a little brighter.

"But…everything's strange…" he mumbled, reaching up and gingerly touching his face. There was a Band-Aid on his cheek where he had scratched himself earlier, so he was careful not to maim himself. "Even talking feels strange."

"It'll be okay…I promise." She said, wrapping him in a warm embrace. He sighed in delight at her warmth, resting his head against hers. He wrapped his arms around her, still careful as not to scratch the girl. "I'll always be with you."

"I'll always be with you, too." He mumbled, his voice but a quiet meow. "You're my master." Smiling, she ruffled his hair like she'd always do when he was a cat. A smile spread across his face, the first one he had made since coming to the Dark Order. Detaching himself from the hug, he suddenly started staring intently at his paws.

"What is it?" she asked. He seemed to be searching for something with his eyes, something that wasn't quite in his reach. Clenching his fists, he seemed to focus intently on that something, as a plume of black energy seemed to form around him. He disappeared for a moment, warping and compressing, as Alice stared in wonder. When it was all done, the black cat she had always known sat before her. He seemed just as bewildered as she was.

"Cheshire…you're a cat again!" she whispered, patting his head. Giving a questioning meow, the black energy formed around him once again, and he was once again a boy. He looked a little startled, but was grinning wildly.

"I can switch between the two." He said, happily.

"Great! Now you can stay a cat!" Alice squealed, hugging him again.

"Yes…but, if I'm to fight the Akuma, I should get used to this form." He said, hopeful.

"Right." She responded, still hugging him. She felt everything would be okay now, that her and Cheshire could live happily at the Dark Order. They were disturbed from their happiness by a rough knock on the door. Komui strolled in, inviting himself into their room. He held a cup of coffee in his hand, the china decorated with a giddy, pink bunny rabbit.

"Ah, Alice. I see you and your innocence have gotten accustomed to your new room." He said, looking about.

"Don't call him innocence, he's a person, you know. He has a name and everything." She huffed.

"Yes, yes. Anyways, the science division and I are all very pleased to welcome you and _Cheshire _to our community. We're tailoring your uniform right now, so soon you'll look just like the rest of us. Right now, you're only a trainee, but I'm sure you'll be a wonderful Exorcist someday." He explained. "Welcome to the Dark Order."

=^._.^= ~10 YEARS LATER~ =^._.^=

Alice hurried down the corridors, striving not to be late for breakfast. Her companion, Cheshire, perched on her shoulder, in the form of a cat. They had both grown stronger together, and had shouldered their way to the top of the Exorcist hierarchy. Cheshire had grown quite agile, and was a fearsome Akuma killer. Alice would direct him where to go, and he would destroy everything in sight.

Alice didn't want to be late for breakfast, because a new Exorcist had just arrived at the Dark Order. She had heard rumors that it was a small boy, one that bore the mark of the Akuma. His eye was the only thing that was cursed, but everyone was still worried that he'd be trouble. Scurrying in through the large double doors of the cafeteria, Alice sat herself at the table she sat at every day. The only difference was a new face at the table.

Lenalee, Lavi, Bookman, Kanda and Krory were already there, each enjoying their breakfast, but the small, new kid seemed quite uncomfortable.

"Ah! So you're the new Exorcist, aren't you?" Alice asked, placing a bowl of milk on the table which Cheshire quickly flocked to.

"Yes…I'm Allen Walker…." He mumbled. Alice could barely see him around his mountain of pastries and breakfast snacks. She immediately knew he was a parasitic type Exorcist.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Alice, ad this is Cheshire." Alice answered, scratching Cheshire's head.

"I-It's a pleasure." He blurted, his face reddening.

"So you're a parasitic type, right?" she asked, picking at her cereal.

"Yes…what kind of innocence are you?" Allen asked, scratching his red, blotchy hand.

"I'd guess you'd say I'm equipment type, because my innocence is a separate entity, but Cheshire is my innocence." She said, delighted in Allen's surprise.

"Living? Is there such a thing?" he asked, his eyes growing wide.

"Of course. Cheshire's been fighting with me for a long time." She giggled, patting her cat on the head.

"But…how does he kill Akuma like that?" Allen asked, licking the frosting from a cinnamon bun.

"Silly, this is just _one_ of his forms. He has another form, which allows him to kill Akuma with _admirable_ speed." She boasted, getting smirks from the other Exorcists at the table.

After breakfast, Alice and her friends were all called to Komui's office, apparently assigned a new mission. Filling the room, they all huddled in front of Komui's desk, smooshed into the tiny space of floor where there wasn't paperwork.

"Ah, you're all here! Now. Before we get started." He said seriously, pulling a piece of paper out of his desk. "Lenalee, look at this picture I drew, isn't it amaaaazing?" he squealed, holding up a crudely drawn picture of a mushroom playing with other fungi.

"Uhh….yes, it's…nice…" Lenalee mumbled, motioning for Komui to get on with the announcement.

"Right, right. You're all going to Greece, to investigate an enlarged number of Akuma sightings. We suspect it's where the Millennium Earl is currently hiding. So go on, go on, before he re-lo-cates." He explained, enunciating the last word very carefully.

After they all filed out, Alice plucked Cheshire from her shoulder and began squealing to him like the girl she was. "Ooo, Cheshire, we get to go to Greece! I've always wanted to go there! It's such a pretty place! I can't wait!" she said, swinging the poor cat around her by the front paws.

With an irritated grumble, he replaced himself onto her shoulder as they all left for their new mission.


	3. Chapter 3: Dispatched

She didn't particularly feel like going on a mission today, but Cheshire had been itching to get outdoors, so she went. Most of the time, Alice just liked it to be her and Cheshire on missions, but for once, she was glad for the company of the other exorcists. Cheshire had been concerned that she didn't have any friends, but she thought she got along quite well with the others. Nevertheless, Cheshire was always deviating plans to get her in close vicinity to other people.

"I wonder if the Earl's launching an attack?" Allen mused, Timcanpy perched on his shoulder like a golden bird.

"If he is, then it is our duty to stop him." Kanda answered, all business as usual.

"Well, I know THAT…" he retorted, but Kanda didn't seem to be listening.

As they all rode down in the elevator to the canal under the Dark Order, everyone seemed uneasy in some way. Lavi was rocking on his feet anxiously while Allen was desperately trying to fix his white hair as if he had a zit or something. Even Cheshire was picking at Alice's uniform with his outstretched claws, as if thinking about something.

"What is it? You're all acting strange." Alice wondered, catching everyone's attention.

"Ah, well…I heard Komui say that there might be a Noah involved with this Akuma sighting…" Allen responded, his voice the caliber of a mouse's.

"So?" Alice sighed, unhooking Cheshire's trapped claw from the string on her clothes.

"The Noah clan is scaaaaaryy!" Lavi whined, clasping his hands to his cheeks and spinning in circles.

"But they're just Akuma-People, right? We kill Akuma all the time." Alice mused, although no one seemed comforted.

"The Noah clansmen are all completely human." Lavi reported, consulting his photographic memory. "Therefor, have no physical relations to Akumas."

Although Lavi seemed to remember everything he came into contact with-which was quite a valuable skill-everyone rolled their eyes and stepped out of the elevator into the canal. Piling onto small boats, they floated out, ready to start their mission.

The distance between the Dark Order and the small town to be visited was very short, but seemed longer today for some reason. Cheshire would scamper across the grassy plains, chasing butterflies and pouncing on flowers the entire way, but everyone else seemed drained. Cheshire was obviously having fun, while all the Exorcists could do was walk and consider what could await them at their destination.

As they reached the gates to the town, Cheshire too had suddenly fallen ill to the creeping sense of danger. He had clambered up Alice's leg and into her jacket, hiding underneath the fabric.

"What's wrong with all of you? It's like you've all seen a ghost." Alice groaned, scratching Cheshire's black, furry head. Everyone was being weighted down by the thick danger in the air, but Alice seemed completely unfazed.

"You don't feel it?" Lavi groaned, hefting his hammer over his shoulder. "It's suffocating…"

"Well, we can't fight Akuma when you all look like drowned rats. Come on, let's go!" Alice ordered, stepping through the gates of the town.

Although it was a Monday, and a busy day at that, the streets were completely empty of people. Garbage skittered across the streets in the breeze as shop signs clanged loudly against the buildings. All the while, the sky had been painted a deep, dark gray; almost as if there were something lurking in it.

"What's going on…?" Allen whispered as they all strolled across the mossy cobblestone. Almost immediately after he had said it, a sharp, high pitched sound pierced the air as Allen's eye was painted red with recognition. "It's the Akuma! They're hiding in the clouds!"

Everyone immediately became alert, unsheathing their weapons and speaking their names. Cheshire's back was prickled with aggression as rain poured from the skies. Although it looked like rain, it was really thousands and thousands of Akumas pouring from the skies like black bullets from hell.

"That's some Akuma sighting!" Lavi yelled, commanding his hammer to grow into the size of a school bus. The Akumas were sweeping across the ground, their balloon-like bodies all bumping into each other like a sick game of bumper carts. Gun barrels protruded from their bodies, each one primed to fire tainted bullets at the Exorcists.

"Alright! Cheshire, go on and destroy them!" Alice commanded, her cat leaping from her shoulder onto the cobblestone. Just as he had thousands of times before, he transformed into the shape of a man with club-like hands, pointed ears and a swishing tail. He looked just as he had 15 years ago, but now he had fully grown into a hulking entity of pure Akuma-slaying innocence. Gliding through the air like a bird alight a gust of wind, he ripped through the crowd of Akumas, his claws leaving long, ragged gashes in their sides. Each one exploding just as Cheshire passed, a single line had been cleared of the great wave of Akuma.

"Whoa!" Allen whistled, caught in the majesty of watching such an innocence go to work. Catching himself, he decided it was time for him to actually start killing the wretched beasts. The green cross glowing on his hand, his arm was released into the pristine, shining metal glove of malice that was known as the -Man. Each Exorcist trying their best to disperse the great wall of Akuma, at last the streets were clear of the monsters. Finished with his task, Cheshire quickly bounded back to his master, a happy grin on his face.

"Nya~! We killed them all!" he laughed happily, snuggling up to Alice. Giggling and scratching Cheshire's head, they all started to traverse the cobblestone streets, in search of more Akuma. The clouds had parted to a clear, sunny sky and the foreboding sense of despair had been lifted, although not one person walked the streets of the city.

"I wonder where everyone is?" Krory asked as they all walked in silence. He had been eerily quiet throughout the mission, but then again, he was always quiet.

"Egad! Maybe the Noah took them?" Lavi gasped, his eyes widening in mock horror.

"There _was _no Noah, Baka. Can't you see that all the Akuma are gone, yet no Nah has appeared?" Kanda hissed through the eerie silence. Lavi looked as if he'd respond, but was cut off by a shrill, high pitched sound.

Laughter resonated through the air, that which sounded like a child's, as a purple-haired girl alighted upon a floating umbrella appeared on the scene. She wore a casual, white blouse as well as purple striped stockings. She held several pieces of candy in her hand, and a devilish smile upon her lips. What was most disturbing of all was her dark skin and the 4 stars that dotted her forehead.

"I-I-It's the Noah!" Lavi exclaimed, hefting his hammer into the air. "Where are all the villagers?"

"Teehee! Oh, don't worry about them. They're all in good hands." The girl hissed, her voice like syrup oozing out of a jar.

"Who are you?" Kanda asked, not a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"Oh, so direct. I had hoped you'd be too tired to be so blunt." She sighed, picking at the pumpkin-shaped top of her umbrella. "Anyways, my name is Road Kamelot, and I've been sent here to kill you!"


	4. Chapter 4: Battle

Her malicious words hung in the air, echoing through the barren town and lingering like smoke from a fire. After a few seconds, she seemed quite perplexed.

"What, that's it? Nothing? Ugh, I got stuck with BORING exorcists again…oh, well." She whined, swimming through the air atop her floating umbrella.

"So, you're the Noah?" Kanda asked, blatantly ignoring her death threat. "Or do I even need to ask?"

"Oh, you silly exorcists are so stupid. Maybe I'll just destroy you for the thought of making the Earth just a little smarter." Road teased, giggling to herself heartily, pleased that she had come up with such a retort. Kanda, on the other hand, didn't really like being insulted, so of course he acted.

Taking a moment to brush away some stray hairs dangling in front of his face, he leapt from the ground, his sword primed and ready to tear through the purple-faced girl.

"Yeah, Kanda, destroy the Akuma!" Cheshire cheered lazily, snuggling his face into Alice's uniform. He was all tuckered out from destroying so many Akuma.

Road barely dodged the incoming Kanda unit, swaying through the air as Kanda's blade split the air where she had been. "Tsk. You're so impatient. Ugly, too. What guy has long hair? That's just silly. I want to play with the one with the white hair." Road chattered, hearts floating in the air around her.

"W-W-Whoa! She just insulted Kanda's hair! No one can do that and LIVE!" Lavi howled, quite surprised with the scene in front of him. "She's gonna get obliterated!" The words had barely left Lavi's lips before Kanda was hurtling towards the floating Noah again, this time several anger marks perched on his head. And to think that Kanda never lost his cool.

"Hey, we have to help out!" Alice realized, jiggling Cheshire awake from his choppy sleep. "Go on, Cheshire, distract her!"

He lazily yawned and rubbed at his eyes with his giant palms, but obeyed the order nevertheless. Leaping into the air as graceful as a cat, Cheshire started smashing his sharp claws against the attacker. She was merely deflecting the blows with haphazardly floating candles, way too fragile to deflect Cheshire's attack. He knew something was different. He would never give up his no-failing record, pushing him to further annoy the girl.

Finally, there was an opening. While she was busy deflecting Cheshire's oncoming assault, she had left a small space open, in which Kanda could easily slip in. Moving his weapon with the precision of a dancing butterfly, he stabbed into the space, catching Road in the shoulder. Looking down in disbelief, and honestly, not much pain at all, she catapulted Cheshire and Kanda away with a massive whirlwind, sending them flying down to the cobblestone.

"Hmm…it seems you've actually 'harmed' me. Interesting." Road mused, poking at her wounded shoulder. Giving a small 'tsk' and wrapping it in her shirt cloth, her attention was once again on the Exorcists.

"Well, truth be told, I wasn't actually sent here to kill you," she whined, scratching her unusually purple hair. "Really, I was just meant to raid the village."

"So this was all for nothing?" Kanda whined, sheathing his sword. You could cook eggs with the heat radiating from his head.

"Well…yeah. Although it was fun, I have to go back now." With a smile and a wink in Allen's general direction, she was off upon her magical umbrella. Exhausted, everyone had no choice but to return to the Dark Order empty handed.

"What? You didn't get the Noah?" Komui screeched, everyone ducking their heads against the torrential lecture. "It was right there!"

"Sir, we have never actually _dealt _with the Noah before, so none of us really knew what to expect." Kanda muttered, although he would definitely destroy the little punk the next time he saw her. He would enjoy it, too.

"Fine, fine, just go rest up. There are more missions that we'll tackle tomorrow." And with that, they were all banished from the Great Dunes of Paperwork. Splitting up, the group lazily made their way to separate locations, Alice and Cheshire retiring to their room.

"Nyaaa~" Cheshire yawned, stretching his long arms into the air. "I'm tired…"

"Well, you did do very well today. It's late enough to go to bed." Alice murmured, shucking off her uniform. Cheshire jumped across the room, crashing into the single bed positioned in the room. Morphing into the black cat that he was most comfortable being, he squirmed under the covers as Alice got in. He crawled over, and plopped himself into the crook of her arm, cherishing the scent that wafted into his little nose; a scent he knew very well.

"Good night, Cheshire." Alice whispered, stroking his head. Pressing his face against her hand, he fell victim to the overcoming entity that was sleep.

**I know, I know, short chapter. I just wanted to wrap up the Road battle. Anyways, I'll make another one sometime next week maybe. Be patient!**


	5. Chapter 5: Snow Storm

The next day, the Exorcists awoke to a thin, white powering on the ground. As they had slept, winter had arrived without their consent. Then again, winter could do whatever it wanted.

"Snow! There's snow outside!" Cheshire cheered happily, bolting out of the Dark Order front entrance.

"Careful, Cheshire. It's slippery…" Alice warned, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I'll be careful!" he yelled back, clambering the trees and skittering across the frosty cobblestone.

"Nn…I've never liked snow…" Kanda complained, pulling his hood up over his head. "It's too cold…"

"Come on, Yu! Snow is fun!" Lavi squealed, scraping the thin layer of white form the ground into a ball. He looked as if he was going to throw it, but it was so small it would never do any harm.

"Although snow is fun, it's time to get to work," Komui ordered, coming onto the court yard.

"Nee-San, we haven't had a break in so long…can't we just have fun for a little?" Lenalee whined, the snow floating down all around her.

"Well…er…uh…" Komui sputtered, subject to Lenalee's supreme cuteness. It was even amplified by the scenery; the glistening icicles hanging from every surface, the small, pitiful snowman Lavi had made. It was the perfect setting. "Okay…" he finally gave in, getting a squeal from his sister.

They all frolicked in the early spring snow, dancing and running, all the while trying not to slip and fall off of the floating land mass. Although it was sunny and quite warm, the wind was chilly so they headed inside.

"Nya~! I haven't seen snow in so long~!" Cheshire mused, sitting on one of the cafeteria tables. Everyone had sat down with a nice cup of hot chocolate to warm their bones, although Kanda had black coffee instead.

"Yeah! We can go out and play again in a little bit, once the wind has died down," Alice sighed, although it didn't seem as if the wind would let up at all. The merciless, torrential act of nature had been slamming itself against the walls of the Black Order for about half an hour now, getting fiercer every moment.

"I don't like it…" Suman whispered, covered in a blanket. "I haven't felt any wind in over 20 years that was this bad. We're either going through a storm, or…something's up." Suman's innocence used the power of the wind around him, so if he ever said anything about wind, you would listen to him.

"Whaaaat? We're stuck in here?" Cheshire moaned, already getting claustrophobic, as all cats would.

"All I'm saying is that for early spring, tornados and typhoons are very common." Suman was delicately sipping his mint chai tea, specially made with extra care. He was quite the neat freak.

"But…but…but…" Cheshire sputtered, getting progressively worse. "I don't want to be stuck in this…this…tin can!" He could no longer contain himself, hopping down from the table, and taking a better seat next to Alice.

"It's okay! Calm down! We've waited out storms before, remember?" Alice asked, patting Cheshire's ruffled, messy hair. He HAD waited out storms before…but not where he couldn't at least see out of a window. In his old shack where they had previously lived, the land had been plagued by vicious wind storms, as well as torrential rain, floods and snow storms. It hadn't been the funnest thing ever, but they had huddled under their bed covers, whispering stories to each other to pass the time.

"I remember…" Cheshire mumbled, a defeated look on his face. "I never liked the rain…"

"Don't worry, Cheshire. We'll tell stories like last time!" Alice said, wrapping her arms around the depressed animal. He fell into her hug, going limp in her arms. He had loved being in Alice's arms for the longest time, even if he was human. Even if he were missing all of his limbs, a hug from Alice would fix him.

"Man, this wind is just…unsettling…" Allen muttered, taking big bites of a breakfast bun…at 3:00PM. It seemed food could fix anything with Allen.

"Attention everyone!" Komui had just appeared in the cafeteria, holding an enormous stack of papers. He looked awfully cheery.

"What is it? The storm's letting up?" Johnny from the science division asked, looking hopeful.

"Well, I haven't actually looked at these yet. NOW! Let's have a look, shall we?" Komui asked, his cheer lighting up his face.

"Uh…okay…?" The room chorused, loaning into where Komui was standing.

"Alright, lemme just grab these here…" Komui murmured, selecting a single paper from the thousands sprawled on the table. He held it up in front of his face, scanning the page thoroughly.

"What does it say?" Lavi chimed, his curiosity propelling him through the crowd.

"Ah! It says here that we'll be stuck inside the Dark Order for the next 24-72 hours! Isn't that just great?" Komui mused, but then realized what he had read. "…crap."

It was completely silent for a moment. Even the creaky floorboards were silent. Then all chaos broke loose. People ran around screaming, salvaging up food even though there was plenty in the kitchen, climbing on top of tables, the such.

"Calm down, everyone! It'll be fine, we'll just have to stay inside for a while!" Lenalee exclaimed, everyone regaining their composure a little.

"But…but…the indoors are scary…" Cheshire hissed, morphing into a cat so it would be easier to sit on Alice's lap. He was shaking slightly, as a cat would when placed in a box.

"Suman, why don't you just control the wind?" Kanda suggested, still sipping his insanely black coffee. Everyone's eyes were on Suman who looked a little as if he were in the spotlight.

After a few moments, Suman stood in front of the grand doorway, all of his colleagues standing behind him. As the great door was opened, each person bracing themselves for the merciless torrent awaiting them, they were surprised. No wind had come. Had it cleared?

Opening their eyes, they all saw that there seemed to be a 20-ft wall of snow and ice piled up against the door. It didn't even move as its support moved away, as it was frozen in place. They were truly stuck.


	6. Chapter 6: Cabin Fever

"Y-You mean we're stuck here?" Lavi squealed, heads turning towards him.

"Well, I see no other answer…" Komui contemplated, observing the frozen wall of ice. The ice glistened in the dim light of the hallway, thin droplets of water sliding down the slick surface. Although condensation was building on the ice, the small glacier looked nowhere near melting.

"B-B-But, what if we run out of food?" Allen screeched. Everyone was growing more and more hysterical as the time stretched on, but no one was as panic-stricken as Lavi.

"I can't be stuck! I'm seriously claustrophobic, man! We have to get out of here, RIGHT NOW!" Lavi howled, clinging to Kanda who was continuously trying to punch him off. "I'll go crazy!"

"Lavi, I'm sure we'll be fine. This is just a slight storm, so as soon as the sun comes out, we'll be fine!" Lenalee crooned, trying to console the worrisome Lavi.

"But…what if the sun doesn't come out?" Cheshire mused, swinging his legs as he sat on a table. "I mean, what if there's another ice age and we're caught in the middle of it?"

With this, the entire room erupted into startled cries of horror as panic settled into the minds of the Exorcists. Even though the Dark Order was a very luxurious place, it wasn't equipped for long distances of time where it would be cut off from the outside world. The chef did seem to make meals at the speed of light, but those ingredients had to come from somewhere; and Allen's monstrous appetite wasn't helping.

"Everyone! Please stay calm!" Lenalee called, standing up on a table. "I'm sure we will get out soon!"

A raspy giggle gurgled out of the corner of the lunchroom, attracting the eyes of the Exorcists.

"Out? Hehe…there IS no out…not anymore…" Lavi whispered to himself, huddled like a child against the wall. "We're stuck in here for ETERNITY…or at least until the food runs out…"

"Lavi? Is everything…alright?" Lenalee asked, although Lavi seemed to have fallen into a fit of muttered whispers and self-arguing.

"Calm down, everyone! Everything is under control," Komui assured everyone, although his hair looked slightly more frazzled than usual. "We just need to gather some Exorcists that can generate heat to melt the ice wall." Everyone gasped in horror at Komui's suggestion. He had actually had a good idea for once.

A small group of Exorcists, about 3 or 4, made their way through the halls of the Dark Order towards the main door. They hadn't been able to close it as too much snow had piled in, blocking the doorway.

"Alright, let's get rid of this thing!" One of the Exorcists stated, getting supportive cheers from the rest of the inhabitants of the Black Order from behind them. Each one prepared their innocence, aiming for the ice. Several attacks burst forth, consisting of great, billowing clouds of fire as well as launched streams of bubbling magma. The ice wall was bombarded with a blinding barrage of heat and flames, the crowd forced to shun their eyes for fear of losing their eyebrows.

"Hold up!" One of the Exorcists called, ceasing the murderous attack. As they waited for the smoke to clear, they gazed upon the damage they had done.

"W…What?" Someone called as the answer was revealed. All the exorcists' troubles had amounted to nothing. Not even a dent was melted in the ice.

"How is this possible? This has to be the work of some demon!" Komui exclaimed, startling hushed murmurs out of the crowd. As they all squabbled amongst each other, a snicker went unheard from the other side of the glacier.

"See, Lero? This is what happens when you cheat in one of my games," Road laughed, floating nearby in a pink parka.

"Lero…Ah, Road Tama…I don't think it's wise to keep them trapped for long…" Lero whined, getting a kick from Road.

"Oh, what do you know? You're just a silly umbrella. Just sit back and watch the fun," Road giggled, sticking out her tongue to catch the snowflakes.

Everyone was once again crowded into the tiny cafeteria, awaiting their fates to be foretold. Several of the stronger Exorcists were contemplating slicing the ice up into thin, clean sheets while others considered simply teleporting it away. Although they all had some wonderful ideas, they couldn't mistake the outcome. The glacier wouldn't move. Meanwhile, everyone was mostly worrying about the food supply.

"Maybe we should all cut back on our intake?" Lenalee suggested, getting depressed groans from Allen in return.

"A valiant warrior can survive on determination alone," Kanda mused, although no one seemed to be listening to his ninja crap. A squeal cut through the crowd as Lavi ran up to the group.

"I have the PERFECT solution!" Lavi screeched, out of breath even though he only had to walk a meter to get to them.

"And…what would that be?" Lenalee asked, slightly afraid of the answer she would get.

"Heh…Heh heh…it's all clear to me now…why did I not see it before? Aha…" Lavi giggled to himself, his hair a lot messier than usual. "We only need to get rid of Allen!"

"What? How would that help anything?" Allen screamed, flabbergasted at Lavi's outrageous statement.

"Oh, Allen…ever the blind man in a crisis…it's so simple, even a child could see it!" Lavi murmured, looked more exhausted than before. "You have the biggest appetite of us all…so to preserve food…we must sacrifice you!" Lavi screamed, lunging for him. Before anyone could react, Lavi had pushed Allen to the ground, brandishing a butter knife to his throat. "I shall save all of the Exorcists from starvation!"

"Um…Lavi, you do know that's a butter knife?" Kanda sighed, plucking the deranged boy from the wheezy Allen. Lavi feverishly tried to wrench himself from the iron grasp of the fearless Kanda, but only pulled several muscles for his effort.

"Let me go let me go let me go! You're dooming the whole Exorcist society! This must be done to preserve dinner!" Lavi howled, his eyes wild and fierce.

"I think our little Lavi has some Cabin Fever…" Lenalee sighed, helping Allen up from the floor. "We need a place to put him so he doesn't…sacrifice anyone." Kanda proceeded to drag the kicking and screaming Lavi up the stairs to the penitentiary dorms. There would be lots of soft pillows and handcuffs waiting for him.

"Alright, now that we've secured poor, sick Lavi, we can start formulating a REAL plan," Komui stated, smoothing his hair back. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

"We could jump out a window!" Someone yelled.

"Well, not all of us can land safely, so that means a swift death for most." Komui answered.

"We could knock down a wall!" Another cried.

"The Dark Order is specially built so that the outer walls are as solid as diamonds." Komui sighed.

"We could call for help!" Yet another howled.

"Well, considering our only doorway is blocked, there would be no way for them to get in." Komui moaned. It seemed no one had any ideas as to how to get out. It was going to be a long night.


	7. Chapter 7: What now?

The hours stretched on until no one knew how long it had been since they had been trapped. Some people sat in the cafeteria, staring hopelessly at nothing. Lavi was continuously screaming profanities through the penitentiary dorm, begging to be let out of this blasted hell hole. Kanda had gone in to check on him once or twice, and had almost lost an eye as a result.

Komui gave pep talks to the large crowds of people of how the sun would eventually burn up all of its hydrogen, then expand to the size of the Milky Way galaxy, thus becoming big and hot enough to melt the ice wall. Unfortunately, he forgot the part about everyone getting burned to a crisp. Good try, Komui.

Allen was trying to console himself in being the main source of food shortage in the Dark Order. Because of this, he hadn't eaten ANYTHING in 48 hours. His face matched his hair.

"Allen? Are you feeling all right?" Lenalee asked as she skittered by with glasses of water.

"Hnnnrnmn…" Allen moaned unintelligibly. "Hrmnnnrm?"

"No, there's no progress on the ice wall. We've decided to just wait and see what happens. Anyways, Allen, shouldn't you eat something?" Lenalee asked curiously, seeing his disheveled condition.

He let out a withered sigh, slumping down onto the cafeteria table. His eyes seemed to drift off to a faraway place; one full of pancakes and bacon. "Mm…" he drooled.

"Here, Allen, have a smoothie! Jerry made a whole vat of it," Lenalee said, smiling and placing a small glass of blended fruit on the table next to Allen. Within the span of 3 seconds, he had swooped up the glass, downed the entire thing, and gone back to slumping on the table and staring off into space.

Sighing, Lenalee continued on her way through the Dark Order, searching for a way to help somehow. Handing out glasses of smoothie to people who needed a pick-me-up, as well as keeping things in order amongst all the chaos. The people of the Dark Order had forgotten what the sun looked like, for the sky outside the windows was a smog of misty storm clouds.

"When will we be free of this twisted trap that is our own home?" Krory moaned, looking just as drained as Allen. "I don't know how much longer I can go without the precious blood of an Akuma…"

"I'm sure it won't be much longer, Krory. You have to keep your chin up!" Lenalee cheered, carrying beverages to other people. "Hey, Kanda! Can you go check on Lavi? Oh, and bring him some of this, too!" Lenalee handed Kanda a glass, who grumbled up the stairs to the penitentiary.

He knocked on the door. "Lavi? Lenalee said to check up on you," Kanda muttered, opening the door. The room was quite dark, so much so even Kanda could barely see. A rustling sound emanated from the darkness, followed by some weak moaning.

Flicking on the light-switch, Kanda almost jumped back in horror. Lavi had twisted himself up in his chains that it looked as if he were wearing clothes out of them. His eyes looked unnaturally bulged out, and his face had an odd, reddish hue.

"Baka, what have you gone and done to yourself?" Kanda sighed, striding across the room. Un-looping the chains from around the poor, insane boy, he re-adjusted the restraints so they could no longer be wound around things.

"Yu! Did…did you come to let me out?" Lavi whispered, admiration in his eyes.

"NO." Kanda spat, putting on a cold look

"Oh…'cuz, you know, I'm the only one who had a good idea on how to help. I'm a valuable asset!" Lavi argued, twisting in his make-shift chain handcuffs.

"You wanted to sacrifice one of our most valuable Exorcists, you loon," Kanda spat, handing the deranged boy the smoothie. "Here, Lenalee was handing these out in the cafeteria.

"Oh sweet nectar from heaven! You must be an angel!" Lavi beamed, eyeing the beverage with ravenous thirst. "Oh, but Kanda Dear, these chains are too tight. It appears I cannot hold your precious gift."

"Well then, I'll shove it down your throat."

"Oh, but that's so improper! I must drink such a delicate substance like a _gentleman_! Chains and restraints are not flattering!" Lavi moaned.

"You're the farthest thing from a _gentleman_. But as much as I hate being here, I guess 8 seconds of freedom will do no harm…" Kanda mused, mulling all the possible situations over. He undid the chains that held the Cabin Fever-stricken boy, handing him the smoothie.

"Why thank you, Kanda. I do so appreci-" Lavi started, then proceeded to bring his knee up in a swift arching motion, right into Kanda's jaw. The Exorcist rocked back on his knees, flopping back on the hard tiles.

"Sorry, Kanda! It's for the good of humanity!" Lavi called, slipping out the door, leaving the poor, unconscious Kanda to wonder what the hell just happened.

"R-Road-Tama, I fear this has gone on too long! Th-This is not what Lord Earl had in mind!" The magical umbrella, Lero, hovered precariously around the Dark Order, the snide Road Camelot perched on top.

"Cram it, Lero. I know this has gone too far! Why do you think I'm monitoring this so closely? I could be pestering Tykki right now," Road spat, gazing at the enormous ice wall that plagued the Exorcists with so much misery. "Although, I could just let them go…then I could chase them again! ~"

"R-Road-" Lero began, but got a swift smack to the head for his efforts.

"Fine, you stupid umbrella! I'll let them out…" Road muttered.

^_v

Lavi sprinted through the Dark Order, expertly swerving through pedestrians as he ran. Screeching past the Cafeteria entrance, Lenalee caught a glimpse of him.

"Lavi? What are you doing out?" Lenalee shouted, gathering other people's attention.

"THANKS FOR THE SMOOTHIE LENALEEEEEEEE-" Lavi screamed as he rocketed towards the main door, his sprint un-breaking.

"Come on, everyone! We have to catch him!" Lenalee called, assembling everyone into a long line of sprinters in hopes of catching the deranged boy.

They followed him all the way to the main entrance, stopping and watching as he sprinted towards the ice wall. "It's okay, it's a dead end!" Lenalee reassured the others.

Lavi grew closer to the wall, his speed not slowing down one bit. Was he planning on burrowing through it? Just as he was about to smack, face first into the ice, it simply disappeared. The ice evaporated without a sound or motion. Completely disappeared.

Lavi kept on running and running, down the cobblestone walkway that led to the Dark Order. Catching sight of the meandering Road, he leapt in the air, wrapping his shivering fingers around her umbrella.

"Eeek! Get off! Get off!" Road squealed, smacking Lavi's spiky hair. Having lost his adrenaline rush, he let go, falling and hitting the ground hard. "You all are no fun!" Road pouted, zipping off into the atmosphere.

"We're free! We're free!" Lenalee squealed, hugging the drained Allen. Cheshire scampered out of the door, flopping down on the ground and making snow angels with tree-trunks for arms. Kanda stumbled out of the Dark Order, rubbing his head and spouting curses. Everyone played in the snow, enjoying the wind on their face.

Lavi, however, was merely sitting on the ground, gazing at the snow falling around him. Enjoying his sanity.


	8. Chapter 8: Ravage

The rain spattered upon the cobblestone, mixed with the liquids seeping from the bodies, carelessly strewn everywhere. Screams pierced the atmosphere, followed by heavy-footed sprints in all directions. Moments later, the screams were drowned out by a merciless howl. Coarse, bristling fur, the coat of an animal. A flash of grey, and it was gone.

"Octopus!" Cheshire demanded to the cook behind the counter. "Octopus for breakfast!"

"Ah…are you sure?" he asked, his utensils at the ready.

"Octopus and fish eggs!" Cheshire retorted, crouched behind the counter, his eyes peeking above the marble.

"How about cereal?" Alice asked from behind, patting her pet's head. "You can't have _fish_ for breakfast."

"Of course I can! It's my belly!" Cheshire argued, but a bowl of cereal had already been produced for him. "Hmph…"

"Come on, Cheshire. You can have fish later. Trust me, I'd have meat for breakfast if I could," Alice giggled, taking her friends hand and leading him to the table. Upon its bench were the only other friends of the duo; Allen, Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, and Krory.

"Good morning!" they all called in unison as Alice and Cheshire sat down. Except for Kanda, of course.

"Morning! I read a story in the newspaper earlier. Something's going on in one of the neighboring townships," Alice mumbled around her cereal.

"Like what? A zombie apocalypse?" Lavi responded hopefully. It had been over 2 weeks since they had all been fenced in by the massive glacier that had blocked their exit of the Dark Order, and Lavi still seemed a little odd. Then again, that's Lavi for you.

"No, silly. There's no such thing as zombies," Lenalee giggled, plucking grapes from her plate. "What did the newspapers say, Alice?"

"Well, apparently, there's some kind of creature running around the nearby towns. Only a few people have gotten a good look at it, and they can't even describe what they saw," Alice reported, deflecting the bits of cereal Cheshire was flicking at her.

"Could it be an Akuma?" Allen asked, his plate taller than all the others. "Or an innocence fragment?"

"Well, innocence never reflects inconveniently on any humans, and this thing is killing people, so I don't think so…" Alice contemplated, tapping her chin.

"It's a fish!" Cheshire exclaimed, clearly not listening to the conversation at all.

"No, Cheshire, I don't think it's a…fish," Alice sighed, finishing her cereal.

"Best thing would be to exterminate it," Kanda mumbled from his side of the table. All he had on his breakfast plate was a single slice of bread. Nothing on it, too.

"Kanda, you're gonna get all skinny! What lady wants a skeleton?" Lavi chortled to himself, gesturing to Kanda's plate.

"Better than a plump imbecile," Kanda retorted, picking up his plate and carrying it to the trash.

"What'd you call me?" Lavi screeched, rocketing from the table after his rival.

"Anyways, do you think Komui will send someone to investigate?" Lenalee wondered, poking crescent-shaped holes in her apple with her long nails.

"Well, if it's killing people, then it must be stopped." Alice picked up her plate and Cheshire's, finishing the conversation. Just as she had finished disposing of their breakfast, an announcement rattled through the speakers of the cafeteria.

"**Attention Exorcist division 4! Report to Head Office!**" the speakers screeched. Recently, in light of recent events, Komui had devised divisions of Exorcists. Division 4 consisted of Alice, Cheshire, Allen and Kanda.

"Speak of the devil!" Alice sighed. "Well, best head up there now."

"Devil!" Cheshire exclaimed. He was still learning new words from when he had become partly human, so he would blurt out any word he didn't know, with hopes of an explanation. Morphing into his cat form, he clawed his way up Alice's sleeve, and onto her shoulder. His ears lightly bobbing as she walked, the pair made their way to Komui's office.

As the group entered the cluttered, messy office, they found Komui in his office chair, turned away from the group, chattering quite noisily on his telephone.

"I said _Dark Order! _Not _Dark Hoarder_! How hard is it to get a simple address?" Komui wailed into the phone. He seemed completely oblivious to the Exorcists he had recently called to his office. "Get it right next time!" And with that, he slammed his phone into its cradle. Straightening his beret, and brushing the stray hairs from his face, he turned at last to the Exorcists.

"Ah! You finally made it! Sorry about that, I was just…sorting out my dry-cleaning. ANYWAYS, as I'm sure you've all heard, there's been quite a commotion in the nearby townships," Komui stated, rifling through the drawers in his desk and the papers at his feet. "Let's see, where…jeez, it's gotta be- AH! Here it is~!" he sang, slapping a stack of papers onto his desk.

"So…what exactly has been going o-" Allen attempted conversation, but was denied by the wave of Komui's hand.

"I'm getting to it, Allen, m'dear, so be patient," Komui barked, brushing the papers on his desk in every which way, trying to find a specific one. "Ha! This is the one!" he exclaimed, holding the paper up in victory.

"So…what exactly is the matter?" Alice asked, fighting with Cheshire to keep him out of the hood on her Exorcist uniform. He always liked to curl up in it, even though Alice hated the cat hair that would get in it.

"Well, as I'm sure you've all heard, there's a creature running around. We can't follow its exact movements, but what we _do_ know is that it moves incredibly fast. It can move from one town to another in a single night." Komui took of his beret, gently setting it on the table. Running stressed fingers through his messy hair, he continued. "We've been able to deduce that it attacks a village once every 3 days, so it's intelligent enough to have a limit."

"So, it's a person?" Allen asked, bracing himself to be cut off again.

"Or something just as smart as one. It hasn't broken its schedule in 9 days, so it must be a pattern. Every 3 days, this…_thing_…attacks a village. He's moving in one direction, so we can easily predict what's to be attacked next. So far, we've recorded that he only attacks grown men. An estimated 25 deaths have been recorded."

"25…that's way too many!" Alice gasped, Cheshire curiously peeking his head from her hood at the sound.

"Nya?" Cheshire mewed, pawing at her face in concern.

"According to all of our Finders' readings, the next township to be attacked will be Chesterdam, tomorrow night. I want to catch this thing immediately, and discern what it is. If it's an Akuma, Innocence, or even a Noah, it doesn't matter. Just stop it," Komui finished, seemingly exhausted at his own explanation.

"Well then, we should probably set out soon. It's a 6 hour ride by train, and it would be best to scope out the village to guess what will be attacked first," Allen suggested, getting nods from his friends.

They all exited the room, ready to stop whatever phenomenon was occurring.

"C'mon, Cheshire, help me pack! Don't just _sit there_!" Alice ordered. Cheshire had been perched upon her bed for the past 10 minutes, motionless. He had returned to his human form, so the expression of worry was clear upon his face.

"Nmmmrmm…I don't wanna go…" Cheshire murmured, picking at the lace on her pillow.

"What do you mean? It'll be fine! It's probably just some kind of Akuma," Alice murmured, patting his cheek. "Are you scared?"

"No…it's just…it feels weird," Cheshire muttered back, putting his hand over his master's.

"What feels weird? It'll be okay! It's just an animal, or something. I'm sure it'll be fine." Alice continued stuffing a night's worth of clothes into her suitcase.

"Hrm…" Cheshire muttered. Even his master's words of encouragement couldn't shake the feeling of something truly morbid and sinister awaiting him.


End file.
